Press Releases:

HRC Congratulates Iowa Justices on JFK Courage Award

WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign today commended the three Iowa Supreme Court Justices set to receive the 2012 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for their judicial independence. Former Iowa Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and former Justices David Baker and Michael Streit ruled in favor of marriage equality three years ago and, as a result, came under fire by the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage during their retention elections. All three refused to mount a counter-campaign believing it would send the wrong message to litigants who may appear in court before them.

"Even with their jobs on the line, the justices stood firm for an independent judiciary," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "They put principle over politics, and are supremely deserving of this award. NOM should still be ashamed of themselves for running a campaign seeking revenge on these judges for making well-reasoned, constitutional arguments extending marriage equality."

During the last election cycle, all three justices lost their races. NOM's $600,000 campaign to oust them had nothing to do with marriage in the Hawkeye State – marriage for gay and lesbian couples remains legal there. Instead, NOM’s campaign was meant to send a chilling warning to judges across the country: rule the way we want you to or we will come after you.

On Monday, Caroline Kennedy, President of the Kennedy Library Foundation, will honor the justices with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. The award is presented to public servants who have demonstrated the courage of their convictions "without regard for the personal or professional consequences." The ceremony will be webcast live at www.jfklibrary.org/webcast beginning at 11:00 a.m. on May 7.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 2009 to allow committed gay and lesbian couples to marry. The deliberative decision was consistent with Supreme Court rulings in California, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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To contact HRC please visit our contact us page. If you are a member of the media, you can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.

5 Things to Know about LGBTQ Issues

1. There are roughly 10 million LGBTQ adults in the U.S., or roughly 4.1 percent of the population.

2. Sixteen percent of same-sex couples are raising children according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2011 Current Population Survey.

3. There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBTQ individuals from employment discrimination; there are no state laws in 28 states that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in 30 states that do so based on gender identity.

4. More than 50 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed in 19 state legislatures in the 2017 state legislative session.

5. The FBI reported 1,167 hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity in 2015. This is likely a dramatic undercount since thousands of agencies didn't submit any data and reporting is not mandatory.